1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for collecting and evaluating electromagnetic field waves at specific locations, of the type which provides a permanent record of the observed waves, and permits their evaluation and comparison for characteristic wave forms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From time immemorial the earth has existed in a virtual sea of electromagnetic fields. All creatures including humans, animals and all living things were and are constantly being bombarded by these energy fields, both emanating from within and without the earth.
The exact qualitative and quantitative degree and kinds of such energy present during the aeons commencing with the appearance of life can only be hypothesized, but its existence is not questioned.
We can estimate the effects of increasing or decreasing various energy fields on life forms; just as we attempt to predict the effect of increasing CH.sub.4 -Methane, CO.sub.2 pollution or ultraviolet radiation, but clear answers have not emerged. What is known is that in our daily lives in industrial societies we are subjected to ever increasing amounts of man-made electromagnetic radiation, which did not previously exist.
For some time the scientific community and various consumer groups have questioned the beneficial/deleterious consequences of electrical current, and the effect of electromagnetic fields on human populations. Medical application of electric current to enhance bone growth in children has been proven to yield spectacular results. Ionization or de-ionization of the air in the working place is controversial as to the effects of electromagnetic waves on animals, plants and humans. The electromagnetic radiation from T.V.'s, computers and electric blankets has generated sufficient controversy so that manufacturers have made design changes which they believe will nullify the effects of these fields.
The electric power industry has acknowledged a need to redesign and relocate transmission lines, and systems to reduce electromagnetic forces present in the community.
In some towns, there appear to be higher incidents of birth defects and cancer that appear to be clustered in certain areas, but no studies have been conducted which definitely elicited the cause of the defects or cancer.
The emphasis in various past and current investigations has been in the detection of fields and their strength at various locations where people are exposed to them, but no apparatus has been proposed to collect data on the waves, and to analyze and compare waveform characteristics where there is an apparent induced higher evidence of problems within a suspected area than would normally be present according to population statistical studies.
Examples of U.S. Patents which relate to electromagnetic waves are Been U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,357; Bowman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,017; Audone et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,744; Deno U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,745; Rashleigh U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,350; Rodriguez-Penna et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,539; Distl et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,169; Buican et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,169; Blouke U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,106; and Crum U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,819. Many articles have been written relating to electromagnetic waves and their possible effect on humans such as: "Electric and Magnetic Fields; Measurements and Possible Effects on Human Health" by Alvin Leonard et al., (1990) published by California Department of Health Studies, 2151 Berkeley Way, Room 704, Berkeley, Calif. 94704, and "Power-Line Static" by Carol Ezzell, Science News, Vol. 140, pages 202-3, edition of Sep. 29, 1991. These patents and the various reported studies were directed to evaluating the presence and strength of observed electromagnetic fields and not to the waveform characteristics. The debate over the health effects of fields from electric power lines which is discussed in the Science News article Vol. 140, pages 202-3 is interesting and indicates that there may be harmful health effects from exposure to electromagnetic field waves. The statistics, however, do not yield results that can be relied upon for scientific determination as to the possible harmful effects on humans from proximity to power lines and other sources of electromagnetic fields. One of the problems with these studies, some of which appear to indicate that those exposed to high electromagnetic waves were at a higher risk of getting cancer, is that no direct measurement of the actual individual exposure to the electromagnetic fields was made. In addition, none of the researchers considered that it may not be the total electromagnetic field exposure that causes an apparent higher incidence of cancer among groups exposed to elevated electromagnetic fields, but that as yet unrecognized common waveform characteristics may be at fault, which affect the exposed groups.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to apparatus for collection and evaluation of electromagnetic waveforms.